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and check the fit. If the joint is loose, adjust the router for a deeper cut. To make the cuts, secure the tails stock- with the inside face out-to the tails template using a pair of clamps. Place the stock in a vise to hold it upright. Take a light pass along the edge of the board to establish the shoulder cut. Then rout out the remaining waste, taking care that the router-bit bearing rides firmly along the fingers of the template. It doesn't hurt to take a second pass to ensure a clean cut. If you are using a \f,j-in.-dia. shank bit, remove most of the waste using a straight bit first to avoid stressing the dovetail bit. I prefer to use Y.!-in.-dia. shank bits whenever possible. The pins template is clamped to the in- side face of the stock, which is aligned to the offset. I clamp the template and stock directly to my workbench with a second pair of clamps. Make the cuts, moving the router from left to right. If your router seems to be straining, especially when cutting thick stock, take several light passes. After removing all of the waste, only one step remains. Because the tails have square corners and the pins have rounded corners, they won't seat properly. I solve that by chopping off the corners of the tails using a chisel. The corners need not be rounded to match the pins perfectly because most of the joint's strength will be in the long-grained areas. But if you prefer, the pins can be chiseled out and made square to mate cleanly with the tails. This will take longer and, to my mind, defeats the timesaving nature of the jig. 0 Jamie Buxton is a computer engineer and woodworker who lives in Redwood City, Calif. The pins stock ;s clamped facedown to the template. Rout the pins from above using a router bit with a bearing and stop collar. DOVETAIL TEMPLATE SETTINGS "Its '7'1s '''is "Its in. in. in. in. 8° 8° 8° 8° % % % % Offsets %-in. stock Offsets sAl-In. stock Tails Pins Tails Pins in. in. in. in. 0.125 0.135 0.160 0.200 0.445 0.516 0.694 0.978 0.344 0.469 0.469 0.594 0.334 0.469 0.459 0.594 0.309 0.469 0.434 0.594 0.269 0.469 0.394 0.594 *Add this number to the thickness of the template for the actual router-bit depth setting. For an expanded chart, see our web site at www.finewoodworking.com. Offsets %-in. stock Tails Pins 0.656 0.781 0.646 0.781 0.621 0.781 0.581 0.781 OF SUPPLY SOURCE Eagle America (800872-2511; www.eagleamerica.com) offers a good selection of dovetail bits, including 8° bits, which I use frequently. Eagle also sells bearings and stop collars, which are needed with my templates. The collar and bearing fit directly over the bit's shank. I Pins template ROUTI NG TH E PI NS MARK OFFSET ON PINS TEMPLATE OFFSET Use a ruler to mark the offset. The pins offset will depend on the thickness of the stock used (see the chart be/ow). CLAMP WORKPIECE AT OFFSET LINE AND ROUT PINS J U L Y / AUG U S T 2000 89